THE GAMES
•The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team (7-1, 2-1 NSIC), matching the best start in school history after eight games, returns home for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games at the R/A Facility this Friday and Saturday. SMSU will face the University of Minnesota Duluth (1-5, 1-1 NSIC) on Friday, Dec. 9, starting at 8 p.m., while on Saturday, Dec. 10, SMSU takes on St. Cloud State University (5-5, 2-0 NSIC) with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.

    BEST START IN TEAM HISTORY
•SMSU opened the season 6-0, its best start in school history.
•This year's team matches the 2006-07 squad for best record to open a season after eight games in team history. Following a 7-1 start in 2006-07, SMSU lost three in a row and finished the season 20-10, losing to Winona State in NSIC tournament championship game.

    BROADCAST INFO
•Both games will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL.
•The games can also be viewed online at SMSUmustangs.com.
    
    SERIES HISTORY VS. MINNESOTA DULUTH
•Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth meet for the 83rd time on Friday with UMD leading 51-30.
•The teams first met during the 1972-73 season.
•SMSU leads 20-16 in games played in Marshall.
•SMSU has won 12 of the last 14 games since the 2005-06 season.
•UMD won on Jan. 20, 2012, and Jan. 30, 2016, both in Duluth.
•UMD's last win in Marshall came on Dec. 12, 2004.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 8-2 all-time versus UMD.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 17.

    SERIES HISTORY VS. ST. CLOUD STATE
•Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State meet for the 60th time on Saturday with SCSU leading 40-19.
•The teams first met during the 1969-70 season.
•SCSU is leads 16-12 in games played in Marshall.
•SMSU has lost five straight in the series, with its last win coming in St. Cloud on Feb. 11, 2012.
•SMSU's last win at home was on Dec. 9, 2011.  
•SCSU won last season's lone meeting, 103-94 in St. Cloud.
•SMSU head coach Brad Bigler is 3-9 all-time versus SCSU.
•Game-by-game results of the series on page 18.
 
    GAME DAY STORYLINES
•SMSU suffered its first loss of the season last Friday at Upper Iowa, 77-75. SMSU held a 16-point lead in the first half.
 •After being outrebounded in its first three games, SMSU has outrebounded its last five opponents.
•SMSU shot a season-low 38 percent in the win versus Sioux Falls on Nov. 30.
•SMSU shot just 39 percent in the win at Winona State on Saturday.
•Carter Kirk missed the Winona State game with an injury.
•Michael Lee scored a career-high 14 points with four 3-pointers in the win at Winona State.
•Joey Bartlett scored a season-high 20 points in the loss at Upper Iowa last Friday.
•SMSU committed a season-high 20 turnovers at Upper Iowa last Friday.
•Weg ranks first in team history in field goal pct. (58.4) and is eighth all-time in rebounds (623).
•SMSU opponents made 10 or more 3-pointers 11 times last season and averaged 8.8 per game. In eight games this season, opponents are averaging 5.1 per game and have reached double figures just once.

    NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in this week's NCAA statistics (Dec. 4) can be found on page 16.
•SMSU ranks 18th in free throw pct.
•SMSU ranks 40th in 3-point field goal pct. defense.
•SMSU ranks 46th in rebound margin.

    NSIC STATISTICS
•A complete listing of SMSU in this week's NSIC statistics (NSIC games only) can be found on pages 14-15.
•SMSU ranks first in scoring defense.
•SMSU ranks 11th in scoring offense.

    SMSU RECEIVES VOTES FOR NABC TOP 25
•SMSU received points in the first two regular season NABC Top 25 national polls on both Nov. 22 and Nov. 29.

    SMSU SIXTH IN D2SIDA REGIONAL POLL
•SMSU is ranked fifth for the second straight week in this week's D2SIDA Central Region poll released on Monday.
•The D2SIDA poll is in its third year of existence.
•Each of the eight regions has six representatives from D2SIDA that coordinate the regional committee, with a regional poll that will be released every Monday during the regular season.
•The D2SIDA weekly rankings are independent of the official NCAA Regional Rankings that will be released closer to the end of the season.

D2SIDA Central Region Poll (Dec. 5)
    Rk.    (First-Place Votes)                   W-L    Pts.    Prev.
    1.    Northwest Missouri State (6)    7-0    60    1
    2.    Augustana    7-1    52    2
    3.    Washburn    6-0    50    3
    4.    MSU-Moorhead    7-1    35    6
    5.    Southwest Minnesota State    7-1    34    5
    6.    Minnesota State    5-2    31    4
    7.    Arkansas-Monticello     6-0    22    RV
    8.    Central Missouri    5-1    20    9
    9.    Missouri Southern    6-2    15    10
    10.    Harding    5-2    13    7

    SMSU HEAD COACH BRAD BIGLER
•Brad Bigler is in his eighth season as head coach and has compiled an overall record of 115-96.
•The 115 victories ranks second all-time in team history.
•Bigler has a record of 79-74 in NSIC play.
•The 2012-13 NSIC Coach of the Year, Bigler has led SMSU to four winning seasons, including a pair of 19-win seasons.
•In 2011-12, SMSU won 19 games, captured the NSIC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history.
•SMSU's 11th head coach, Bigler spent six seasons (2003-09) as an assistant coach at SMSU, including the last three as associate head coach. Bigler's complete bio is found on page 19.

    ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
•SMSU is 7-1 overall, 2-1 NSIC, following a split last weekend on the road.
•SMSU lost to Upper Iowa, 77-75 last Friday, before earning a 77-61 victory over Winona State on Saturday. It was SMSU's first win at WSU since the 2002-03 season,
•Michael Lee scored a career-high 14 points with four 3-pointers in the victory at WSU.
•SMSU has used a balanced scoring attack this season with six players averaging nine or more points per game.
•Ryan Bruggeman leads the team in scoring at 12.8 ppg and has dished out a team-high 29 assists.
•Taylor Schafer is scoring at 12.3 ppg with 14 3-pointers.
•Carter Kirk is averaging a team-high 7.1 rpg, while Mitch Weg is averaging 7.0 rpg and 11.4 ppg.  
•SMSU is averaging 79 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71.
•SMSU is shooting 48 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 78 percent from the free throw line.

    ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH
•UMD is 1-5 overall, 1-1 NSIC, after picking up its first victory of the season last Saturday at home over Minnesota Crookston.
•No UMD player is averaging 10 points per game.
•Sean Burns is scoring 9.7 ppg and shooting 48 percent.
•Luke Harris is averaging 9.4 ppg with seven 3-pointers.
•Logan Rohrscheib is scoring 9.0 ppg with 11 3-pointers.
•Brandon Myer leads the team with 5.0 rpg.
•UMD is shooting 41 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 68 percent from the free throw line.
•UMD is scoring 69 points per game, while opponents are averaging 71 per game.
•Matt Bowen is in his fifth season as head coach with a record of 52-67. He was the head coach at Bemidji State for six seasons prior to UMD.

    ABOUT ST. CLOUD STATE
•SCSU is 5-5 overall, 2-0 NSIC, after beating Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State to open league play last weekend at home.
•SCSU will play at Sioux Falls on Friday night.
•Gage Davis, who was named NSIC North Division Player of the Week on Monday, is scoring a team-high 21 ppg with 17 3-pointers to lead the Huskies. Davis was named the 2016-17 NSIC North Division Preseason Player of the Year.
•Scottie Stone is averaging 15 ppg with 29 3-pointers.
•Mark Hall is scoring 10.2 ppg with 15 3-pointers.
•Kurt Hall is coming off the bench to score 8.2 ppg with a team-high 5.7 rpg.
•SCSU is shooting 46 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range and 69 percent from the free throw line.
•SCSU is scoring 81 points per game, while opponents are averaging 78 per game.
•Matt Reimer is in his third season as head coach with a record 36-33.

    NSIC SOUTH VS. NSIC NORTH
•SMSU finished 3-5 versus teams from the NSIC North Division during the conference play last season.
•SMSU is 19-13 versus NSIC North Division teams in conference play since divisions were introduced during the 2012-13 season.
•SMSU finished 5-3 versus teams North teams in conference play in 2014-15, recorded a 5-3 mark in 2013-14, and finished 6-2 in 2012-13.
•The NSIC South holds a 161-95 advantage over NSIC North teams in regular season play since divisions were formed in 2012-13, including 37-27 last season.
•In 2014-15, the South finished 35-29 versus the North, in 2013-14 the South finished 42-22, while in 2012-13, the South went 47-17.

    BARTLETT REACHES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
•Senior Joey Bartlett became the 20th player in team history to reach 1,000 career points in SMSU's win over Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•Bartlett has scored 1,061 points in 96 career games ranking 16th in team scoring history.

    WEG CLOSING IN ON 1,000 POINTS
•Senior Mitch Weg is closing in on becoming the next member of the 1,000 point club in team history.
•Weg has scored 978 points in 96 games and is currently 23rd in team history. The all-time scoring list is located on page 3.

    JOEY BARTLETT NOTES
•Averaging 11.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
•Has made one start this season.
•Ranks ninth in team history with 138 3-pointers.
•Reached 1,000 career point mark vs. Emporia State on Nov. 13.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Upper iowa.
•Older brother of teammate Kolin.

    KOLIN BARTLETT NOTES
•Played in five games last season.
•Currently out with an injury.
•Younger brother of teammate Joey.

    RYAN BRUGGEMAN NOTES
•Has started eight games and leads the team with 29 assists.
•Averaging 12.8 ppg, ranking first on the team.
•First career double-double at Northern Michigan on Nov. 19 with 11 points and 10 assists.
•Led team with 126 assists last season, ranking tied for the fifth highest in team history.

    KJ DAVIS NOTES
•First season with SMSU.
•Has started eight games and is averaging 10.9 ppg, ranking fourth on the team.
•Scored a season-high 18 points vs. Emporia State.
•Has made six 3-pointers ranking fifth on the team.

    CARTER KIRK NOTES
•Has started seven games and is averaging 9.0 ppg and a team-leading 7.1 rpg.
•Missed the Upper Iowa game with an injury.
•Has two double-doubles this season.
•Finished second in the NSIC in field goal pct. last season.  •Shot 64.7 percent from the field overall last season.

    MICHAEL LEE NOTES
•Has played in eight games this season.
•Averaging 7.4 ppg and 2.0 rpg.
•Leads the team with 15 3-pointers.
•Season-high 14 points at Winona State.
•Only true freshman to play last season.

    JAKE MAIERS NOTES
•Played in four games and scored four points last season.
•Currently out with an injury.

    TURNER MOEN NOTES
•Has started eight games.
•Averaging 4.1 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
•Season-high 13 points at Winona State.
•Played in 27 games with 13 starts last season.

    DREW OSMUNDSON NOTES
•Has played in eight games.
•Scored a season-high six points vs. Sioux Falls.
•Has recorded 12 assists.
•Played in 16 games last season averaging 2.8 ppg.

    TAYLOR SCHAFER NOTES
•Has played in eight games.
•Scored a season-high 22 points at Northern Michigan.
•Has scored 19 or more points in three games.
•Leads team in scoring at 14.8 ppg.
•Team-high 13 3-pointers.
•Led team with 57 3-pointers last season.

    MITCH WEG NOTES
•Ranks first in team history shooting 58.6 percent (374 of 638) from the field.
•Ranks eighth in team history with 638 rebounds.
•Has started eight games.
•Averaging 10.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg, ranking second on the team in rebounding and third in scoring.
•Scored season-high 20 points at Northern State.
•Shooting 70 percent from the field.
•Named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2015-16.  
•Led team in both scoring (12.5) and rebounding (7.2)  last season.
SMSU Career Rebounds
    1.     848         Frank Belmont - 1971-75
    2.     733         Ross DeMasi  - 2005-09
    3.     717         Mike Tobin  - 1982-86
    4.     713         Mike Lang  - 1968-72
    5.     712         Nick Smith  - 2010-14
        712         Scott Roehl  - 2007-11
    7.     648         Scott Koenen - 1998-01
    8.     638         Mitch Weg - 2013-17

    MUSTANGS REACH 100 AND THEN SOME
•Southwest Minnesota State reached 100 points in two games last season.
•SMSU beat Northern State, 111-105 in overtime and defeating Minnesota Crookston 100-68.
•SMSU is 35-8 all-time when scoring 100 points in a game.

    MUSTANG 20-POINT GAMES  
•Southwest Minnesota State has six current players who have scored 20 or more points in a game during their careers, including five this season.
•Senior Joey Bartlett leads all current players having reached the 20-point mark 11 times (once this season). Senior Mitch Weg has reached the mark five times (once this season), sophomore Ryan Bruggeman has done it three times, sophomore Taylor Schafer has done it four times (twice this season), junior Carter Kirk has done it once (this season), while junior Turner Moen scored 20 or more points twice.

20-Point Games - ACTIVE Players
    28    Joey Bartlett    Sioux Falls, 12/20/14
    27    Joey Bartlett    Fort Hays State, 11/14/15
    26    Joey Bartlett    East Central, 11/14/14
    25    Joey Bartlett    Augustana, 2/12/16
    25    Turner Moen    Wayne State, 2/14/15
    24    Joey Bartlett    Northern State, 1/16/15
    24    Joey Bartlett    U-Mary, 12/12/14
    23    Ryan Bruggeman    Bemidji State, 2/5/16
    23    Taylor Schafer    Minnesota Duluth, 1/30/16
    23    Mitch Weg    Winona State, 1/10/15
    22    Taylor Schafer    Northern Michigan, 11/19/16
    22    Ryan Bruggeman    Northern State, 2/24/16
    22    Ryan Bruggeman    Northern State, 11/19/15
    22    Joey Bartlett    Concordia-St. Paul, 1/24/15
    22    Mitch Weg    Minot State, 12/13/14
    21    Taylor Schafer    Fort Hays State, 11/12/16
    21    Mitch Weg    Bemidji State, 2/5/16
    21    Mitch Weg    Northern State, 11/19/15
    21    Joey Bartlett    Minnesota State, 1/23/15
    21    Turner Moen    Jamestown, 11/21/14
    20    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 12/2/16
    20    Carter Kirk    Michigan Tech, 11/18/16
    20    Mitch Weg    Northern State, 11/15/16    
    20    Joey Bartlett    Upper Iowa, 1/9/15
    20    Joey Bartlett    Northern State, 1/3/14
Bold indicates 2016-17 season

    HOME AND AWAY
•SMSU is 1-0 at home this season and 90-34 at home since the 2007-08 season.
•The Mustangs, 6-1 in road/neutral site games this season, are a combined 60-68 in 118 road/neutral site games since 2009-10.
•The following is a statistical comparison of the Mustang team averages for home and away/neutral games in 2016-17:
        W-L    FG%    3-FG%    FT%    REB    PTS    TO    
Home    1-0    .383    .333    .808    44.0    74.0    13.0    
Away    6-1    .496    .353    .776    34.7    79.4    13.0    

    HOME SWEET HOME
•The 2016-17 season marks the 21st year the R/A Facility has been the home arena for SMSU men's basketball.
•The facility has proven to be a tough place for opponents with SMSU compiling a record of 197-76 (.721) in 273 all-time games with just two losing seasons.
•SMSU has recorded double figure home victories in eight of the past 11 seasons.
SMSU in the R/A Facility
    Year    Overall    NSIC    Non
    1996-97    6-4    3-2    3-2    
    1997-98    8-5    4-2    4-3    
    1998-99    10-3    5-1    5-2    
    1999-00    12-3    7-2    5-1    
    2000-01    12-1    9-0    3-1    
    2001-02    12-2    7-2    5-0    
    2002-03    9-5    7-2    2-3
    2003-04    9-5    5-3    4-2    
    2004-05    6-8    3-4    3-4
    2005-06    10-5    3-4    7-1    
    2006-07    13-2    8-1    5-1
    2007-08    12-2    7-2    5-0
    2008-09    13-3    8-2    5-1
    2009-10    12-3    7-3    5-0
    2010-11    10-3    8-3    2-0
    2011-12    10-2    9-2    1-0
    2012-13    7-4    7-4    0-0
    2013-14    11-4    8-3    3-1
    2014-15    6-8    4-7    2-1
    2015-16    8-4    7-4    1-0
    2016-17    1-0    1-0    0-0    
    Totals    197-76     127-53    70-23

    CONSECUTIVE 3-POINT GAMES
•Southwest Minnesota State has connected on at least one 3-point field goal in 529 straight games.
•The last time SMSU failed to score a 3-pointer was on Dec. 11, 1998, versus MSU Moorhead at the North Dakota State Classic in Fargo, N.D.

    WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 43-37 all-time in overtime games, including 1-0 last season.
•SMSU has struggled in overtime games in recent seasons, going 4-11 since 2006-07.
•SMSU is 6-6 all-time in double overtime games and 0-2 in triple overtime games.

    2016-17 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish eighth overall and fifth in the South Division in the annual 16-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released in October.
•Minnesota State was chosen as the overall preseason favorite earning 220 points, including all 11 first-place votes and was also picked to win the South Division.
•SMSU senior Mitch Weg was named a "Player to Watch"

    SMSU ALL-TIME IN THE NSIC
•This year marks the 48th season SMSU has competed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
•SMSU has an all-time record of 329-376 in 705 conference games, finishing in the top half of the final standings 23 times in 47 seasons.
•SMSU has finished in the top half of the NSIC standings in 14 of the last 19 seasons since 1997-98.

    MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is in its 50th season of men's basketball in 2016-17.
•SMSU has played 1,355 games compiling an all-time record of 607-748.
•SMSU has won two NSIC regular season championships (2001 & 2009), one NSIC tournament championship (2012), two NCAA region championships (2001 & 2009) and appeared in three NCAA tournaments (2001, 2009, 2012).
•SMSU has recorded 21 winning seasons in program history with 14 coming in the last 18 years.